An apostille is an official certificate issued by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) to authenticate public documents for use in Hague Apostille Convention countries. It confirms the validity of signatures, stamps, or seals, making documents like birth certificates, degrees, and company papers legally recognised abroad.

An apostille validates UK-issued documents for international use, such as immigration, marriage abroad, studying overseas, and business dealings. Hague Convention countries accept apostilles directly; non-Hague countries may require additional embassy legalisation.

Getting an apostille in the UK is simple with 1st Apostille:

1. Submit your documents - Send your original UK documents that need apostilling
2. Choose your speed - Select standard or express processing
3. Pay online - Transparent pricing with no hidden fees
4. Receive apostilled documents - Ready for international use

Visit www.1stapostille.co.uk for instant quotes and secure online submission.

Documents we handle: Birth certificates, diplomas, business documents, powers of attorney, and more.

Why 1st Apostille? Fast, affordable, and fully accredited service you can trust.

Apostille Service Fees (UK)

Our processing & admin charge Handling Fee £29

FCDO Apostille Fee – Next Day £40 Government fee for priority paper service

FCDO Apostille Fee – e-Apostille£35 Government fee for digital service FCDO Apostille Fee – Urgent Restricted£250

Same-day service, pre-approval required

Solicitor Certification - £25

Next-day service is 1–2 days and e-Apostille is usually issued within 2 days. Urgent restricted service is same-day with pre-approval.

Eligible documents include birth, marriage, and death certificates; court documents; educational diplomas; Companies House documents; powers of attorney; DBS checks; and notarised private documents.

Yes, for many private documents such as powers of attorney, contracts, or passport copies. Public documents like birth certificates typically do not require notarisation.

No. The FCDO only apostilles UK-issued documents. Foreign documents must be apostilled in their country of origin.

An apostille is a simplified certification for Hague Convention countries. Legalisation is required for non-Hague countries and involves embassy or consulate verification after the apostille.

All Hague Apostille Convention signatories, including the USA, Canada, EU countries, and Australia. Non-signatories such as UAE or Kuwait require additional embassy attestation.

Yes. www.1stapostille.co.uk accepts both paper-based and e-Apostille orders.

e-Apostille is faster for digital documents signed by a UK notary.

Use https://www.gov.uk/verify-apostille
online verification tool with the apostille’s unique reference numbe

The apostille itself does not expire, but the document it authenticates may have a limited validity period depending on the receiving country.

Common reasons include incorrect certification, illegible signatures, or submitting a non-public document. The FCDO does not refund fees for rejected applications.

Yes, for most documents except birth/death certificates, DBS checks, and ACRO police certificates. It’s issued digitally, usually within 2 days.

No. Apostilles are only required for documents intended for use outside the UK.

Obtain a recent copy from the General Register Office (ideally within 6 months for signature verification) and submit it for apostille. Birth certificates are not eligible for e-Apostille. Or we can obtain a replacement birth certificate for you

Educational certificates that are not public records must first be certified by a UK solicitor or notary before submission to the FCDO.

Yes, via urgent restricted service (£250, pre-approval required)

For Companies House documents, electronic copies can often be apostilled without mailing originals. Some may require solicitor certification first.

We offer tracked Royal Mail delivery within the UK for £8.75, as well as DHL or FedEx international courier services for £75.

Yes, but it must be notarised before submission. E-Apostille is possible for digitally signed documents.

Please send us the original certificates, as these are not eligible for e-Apostille.

Place your order online 24/7 and send your document to our Milton Keynes office. Once processed, your documents are returned via international courier.

Yes. If you place an order for more than 50 documents, we offer bulk pricing when submitting multiple documents at once. Please contact us for a custom quote